POW: Maddy Brown, 12

“What are you thankful for this year?”

“I’m thankful that we have so many opportunities where we live. I think often times we take things for granted, like education and having a safe place to live. All these things give us such a good life and so many opportunities, so I can shape my life in anyway I want to. I can be whoever I want to be, believe in whatever I want to believe, and I can get involved in so many different things. And a lot of people don’t have amenities like that, especially the privilege of an education. I know a lot of times we don’t appreciate these opportunities, so it’s so amazing that we have the freedom to create yourself.

“What is a specific opportunity that you have been especially appreciative of this year?”

“A lot of people don’t have the opportunity to go to school, much less play an organized sport like Cross Country. It’s been amazing being a part of the Cross Country team because of the people you meet, and seeing how much you develop yourself and helping others grow too. You do things you never thought you could, you just build so many qualities. You are building yourself while having so much fun! I love all the cross country girls and even the coaches – kinda. Just kidding! More than anything, I’m just so thankful for the opportunity to do it even though my dad made do it.”

“Your dad made you do it?”

“Yea, actually freshman year I didn’t want to run, so my dad made me. But now I can’t imagine my high school career without it. My first year he made me and I was just terrified. It was an opportunity that I didn’t want to take because I was so scared, but once I did it was the best decision I have ever made looking back. This sounds so cheesy but it’s totally true, I would not be the person I am today if I hadn’t run cross country because of the qualities it builds in you and because of all of the amazing people I met because of it. So anybody who wants to do cross country should totally get involved! Seriously, I didn’t want to do it, but it changed my life.”

“You said that you were scared about taking the opportunity to run cross country, do you think the fear of seizing opportunities in common in our area?”

“Oh yeah, for sure. It’s either that or because they don’t like being pushed out of their comfort zone because we truly have such an easy life compared to other places in the world. Taking risks is scary and its new, but I think it’s important for us to step outside of our comfort zone so we can grow. When you do something courageous, it changes you, and it starts to mold you into the person you are going to be for the rest of your life.”

– Maddy Brown, 12